It’s the most wonderful time of the year and all the Christmas adverts are starting to appear on our screens.

But there’s one big name that you won’t see on TV this year - because their advert’s been banned!

Iceland decided to go against the trend of product-led adverts in favour of a campaign to raise awareness of the impact palm oil has on the rainforests.

Earlier this year, Iceland committed to remove palm oil from all its own label food by the end of 2018 and hoped to use a short film called Rang-tan as it’s Christmas advert.

Watch: the Iceland Christmas advert you won't see on TV

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Rang-tan is an emotive animation telling the story of rainforest destruction caused by palm oil production, and its devastating impact on the critically endangered orangutan.

It was hoped that the advert would improve shoppers’ understanding of the widespread rainforest destruction for palm oil production, which appears in more than 50% of all supermarket products.

However, advertising regulators banned the advert on the grounds of it being seen to be supporting a political issue.

(Image: Iceland)

Richard Walker, Managing Director at Iceland said: “Throughout 2018 we have led the retail industry to take action in areas such as rainforest destruction for palm oil and plastic pollution of our oceans.

“This year we were keen to do something different with our much anticipated Christmas advert.

“The culmination of our palm oil project is offering our customers the choice of an orangutan friendly Christmas, and we wanted to reflect this in our advertising.

“Our commitment to help protect the home of orangutans remains extremely close to our hearts.

“We are proud to be encouraging consumers to make more sustainable choices, even without the support of TV advertising, ahead of the Christmas shopping season.”

Read More

Growing demand for palm oil for use in food products, cosmetics and biodiesel is devastating tropical rainforests across South East Asia and the expanding palm oil and wood pulp plantations are the biggest drivers of deforestation.